Three takeaways from Mizzou football’s SEC-opening win at Vanderbilt to improve to 5-0
Mizzou football clamped down on Vanderbilt in its Southeastern Conference opener Saturday in the Music City, handing the Commodores a 38-21 defeat behind a big afternoon for Brady Cook and the Tigers’ offense.
Ranked No. 23 in the AP Top 25, Missouri (5-0, 1-0 SEC) is still unbeaten. The last time the Tigers reached 5-0 was in 2013 — also after a road game against Vanderbilt (2-4, 0-2).
Here are three takeaways from Missouri’s dominant day:
That Cook and Burden connection
Luther Burden III — the poster child for flashy plays — never needed to flash his trademark elusiveness for his second-half opening touchdown. He got a step while running a fade, quarterback Brady Cook lofted it over the top, and the receiver made a play.
Simple.
It’s getting easier and easier for those two.
Missouri’s offense was meticulous with the ball in its hands, seldom needing to set Music City alight to put points on the board. But Cook and Burden?
The model of consistency: Cook, who set the SEC record for most consecutive passes without an interception Saturday, threw his 326th straight unpicked pass midway through the second quarter for a record dating back to 2022.
Cook also had a career-high 395 yards, completing 33 of 41 passes for four touchdowns in a third straight 300-plus-yard game.
Burden finished the game with 140 receiving yards and two touchdowns, the second of which was a game-icing grab late in the fourth quarter. He has four straight games with more than 100 yards receiving.
Theo Wease sparks first-half lead
If he was in man coverage, Missouri was looking for him.
Theo Wease Jr. has had an efficient start to his MU career but (understandably) has mostly played second fiddle behind a certain Luther Burden III.
Not in the first half Saturday.
Cook looked for the 6-foot-2 receiver at every opportunity, mostly when he could put him one-on-one with Vandy’s corners.
On third and 10 in the red zone on MU’s last legitimate shot to put points on the board in the first half in a one-score game, Cook high-pointed Wease on the left sideline in the end zone. Like Wease had seven times already, he came down with the ball to give the Tigers a 10-point lead at the break.
He had 94 receiving yards on eight catches (10 targets) in the first half, which was 22 yards and three receptions more than Burden ... at the time.
Wease finished the day with 118 yards on 10 catches — both highs during his time with Missouri.
Defense mostly erases early miscues
Kris Abrams-Draine was waiting for it.
Facing some pressure, Vanderbilt quarterback Ken Seals lofted it toward to end zone with his team down 17 late in the third quarter. It was overthrown, and Abrams-Draine barely had to move to grab his third interception of the season.
But the Tigers were there because of a busted coverage on fourth-and-3.
That was just about how the day went.
Missouri’s mistakes were costly. Most of them were extremely careless. But when the crunch came calling, they were there to see the game out.
In Cover 3 early in the fourth quarter, Mizzou completely lost Junior Sherrill, who hauled in a 45-yard reception for a touchdown and pulled Vandy within 10.
After a fourth-quarter turnover on downs for Missouri, Seals found star receiver Will Shephard on back-to-back plays for a combined 60 yards ... and a quick touchdown.
But for the bad, there was the good.
After Sherill’s touchdown, MU defensive end Austin Firestone sacked Seals on a suddenly nervy fourth down.
The Commodores were 2 of 10 on third down, significant improvement for a struggling Tigers unit.
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